20 scholars to receive legal training and support on campus and throughout their law school journeys

During the week of June 24, Stanford Law School (SLS) welcomed the third cohort of 20 college students to the law school’s Stanford Law Scholars Institute (SLSI), a program designed to provide support and training to college undergraduates who want to explore the opportunities and benefits of a legal career. While on the Stanford campus, the 2024 scholars took part in a variety of activities from receiving guidance on law school applications to meeting with leading practitioners, faculty, and SLS students. 

The SLSI program consists of a week at Stanford as well as ongoing support and coaching as the scholars prepare to apply to law school. Costs related to program participation are subsidized by SLS, including travel to and from the university, a meal plan, a stipend and payment for up to five law school application fees. SLSI is co-led and founded by Diane T. Chin, SLS’s former Associate Dean for Public Service and Public Interest Law and Faye Deal, Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid. 

“A legal education can seem out of reach for many students, especially those from communities that have been historically underrepresented in the legal profession,” said Chin. “Our goal with SLSI is to lower the barriers to access to law school and a law career by immersing the scholars in the law school academic life and introducing them to the many areas of law and the vast array of options a law degree can provide.” 

Chin and Deal have expertise across the full gamut of the law school experience, from applying to law school to life at law school to deciding on a career direction. Deal works to support law school applicants and students through their entry into law school and to work with them to address financial hurdles to accessing law school. Chin is a first-generation lawyer and taught at the law school for twenty years.

“Much of the knowledge needed to apply to law school is not taught in the classroom,” said Deal. “By providing guidance in crafting a strong law school application and helping the scholars build soft skills such as time management and addressing imposter syndrome, we hope this program will help prepare our scholars to be successful in their law school journeys.”

A Week at Stanford

During their week on the SLS campus, the scholars were exposed to practitioners, judges, SLS faculty, staff, and students, and alumni who will continue to act as role models and mentors for the scholars as they prepare to apply to law school. The small cohort size allowed for each scholar to receive individualized attention and provided an intimate environment where the cohort was able to get to know each other during their time together.

During doctrinal sessions, the cohort gained insight into academic life at a law school through several classes with prominent SLS faculty, including an overview of the U.S. Legal system with Professors Shirin Sinnar, an expert on national security and civil rights, and Jayashri Srikantiah, an immigration expert and the Associate Dean of Clinical Education; an overview of education law by Professor Bill Koski, the Director of the Youth and Education Law Project; an overview of criminal law by Professor Rabia Belt and other talks by SLS’s world-renowned faculty and academic staff. The scholars also spent time at the United States District Court, Northern District of California and the San Francisco Attorney’s Office where they engaged with court members and staff. 

Beyond the academic and social activities while on the SLS campus, the cohort will receive  assistance with the law school application process, including a free LSAT preparation course and ongoing coaching until they gain entry into law school. In addition, the SLSI program will provide online training, speakers’ series, and office hours throughout the course of the next year.  

Meet the 2024 Cohort

To learn more about the Stanford Law Scholars Institute, including eligibility requirements and the application process, please visit the program website. 

About Stanford Law School

Stanford Law School is one of the nation’s leading institutions for legal scholarship and education. Its alumni are among the most influential decision makers in law, politics, business, and high technology. Faculty members argue before the Supreme Court, testify before Congress, produce outstanding legal scholarship and empirical analysis, and contribute regularly to the nation’s press as legal and policy experts. Stanford Law School has established a model for legal education that provides rigorous interdisciplinary training, hands-on experience, global perspective, and focus on public service, spearheading a movement for change.